Collective bargaining negotiations involving approximately 7 thousand workers within the body of İZELMAN, affiliated to İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, have been concluded. With the contract, the base wages of the employees were increased by 54 percent. Minister Tunç Soyer“I am happy to have a holiday today. But it is your primary duty to fight for the rights of the unorganized laborers," he said.
The collective bargaining agreement between İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, Social Democrat Public Employers' Union (SODEMSEN) and Turkish Revolutionary Workers' Unions Confederation (DİSK) Genel-İş İzmir Branches No. 1 and 3, which lasted for 4 months, has been completed. In the collective agreement covering approximately 7 thousand workers organized in İZELMAN, the base wage was increased by 54 percent. Following the conclusion of the TİS, thousands of workers gathered in front of the Sovereignty House. Celebrating the raises with a halay dance, the workers chanted "Izmir is proud of you", "Izelman workers are the symbol of resistance" and "Everything will be fine".
“A transformation you should be the engine of”
Addressing the workers gathered in front of the Sovereignty House, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç Soyer“I am happy to have a holiday today. Because no matter how much this legislation shows us as a boss, we have never seen ourselves as a boss against you. From the beginning, we felt comrade, companion. Türkiye is on the verge of a huge change. Türkiye will experience a great transformation. We see this. But this is a transformation that you have to be the engine of.”
“You will do the best and the most beautiful in your job”
Reminding the upcoming general elections, President Soyer said, “If people like you, whose labor will be exploited because they are not organized, and who will suffer from poverty, continue in this order, our bread will be poisoned. Therefore, it is your primary duty to change this story and to fight for the rights of the unorganized laborers. I did my part for you. Now you, my working brothers, will do your part. The way to do this is to claim your work. You will do the best and the best in your job. You will protect both your labor and the unorganized worker until the end. You will also protect the unemployed and the poor. You will be the pioneer of change. We will have more holidays like these,” he said.
“We will bring spring to this country together on May 14”
Engin Topal, Head of General İş Branch No. 1, said, “Our Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Tunç SoyerThe collective agreement was concluded with the efforts of . Good luck,” he said. Head of Branch No. 3, Faruk Saral, said, “We would like to thank Mr. President, who said that another agriculture is possible, for another collective agreement is possible. Today, we thank the president with the struggle of bread. On May 1, we will be on the streets with the struggle for democracy, law and justice. On May 14, we will bring spring to this country together," he said.
“We will work to be worthy of our labor”
DİSK Aegean Region Representative Memiş Sarı said, “We asked for it and we got it. The President did not break it either, but we have very difficult processes ahead of us. While we want the reward of our labor, we represent the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and the Bronze Mayor on the streets, on the buses, in places where we shed a lot of sweat. We will work to be worthy of our labor.”